about to purchase MBP 2.53Ghz Core2Duo, need last minute advice

[rawdawg]

Sorry guys, my Dual 1.25G4 FW800 is 6+ years old. Every week someone asks this question, now it's my turn! I never got upset because I found the info people provided useful so hopefully no one will get annoyed at my asking.

In light of the conference coming next month, do you feel this is a good purchase right now? I'll get a good price, and my current computer *crawls* with what I use it for. I use lightroom to edit RAW files from my new Canon 5D mark II. I also do a lot of video work and my current mac is very jerky playing the H.264 video files the Canon makes. I need to be able to use FCP.

All I've heard about upcoming models is 3G becoming integrated at some point (something I speculated for the MacBookAir last year). No idea if there will be a speed bump since there was just one. I would love to wait for the new Intel architecture I've been reading so much about on here but I honestly don't understand it that well to know how I would benefit.

Also I thought I read a post here stating this 2.53 is accepting 4GB RAM chips to allow a full 8GB of RAM but I can't find it anywhere! Can anyone tell me if this MBP will support 8GB!?

Anything else I should consider? Thank you all very much for your patience and advice. It is very helpful!

 

[jav6454]

Sorry guys, my Dual 1.25G4 FW800 is 6+ years old. Every week someone asks this question, now it's my turn! I never got upset because I found the info people provided useful so hopefully no one will get annoyed at my asking.

In light of the conference coming next month, do you feel this is a good purchase right now? I'll get a good price, and my current computer *crawls* with what I use it for. I use lightroom to edit RAW files from my new Canon 5D mark II. I also do a lot of video work and my current mac is very jerky playing the H.264 video files the Canon makes. I need to be able to use FCP.

All I've heard about upcoming models is 3G becoming integrated at some point (something I speculated for the MacBookAir last year). No idea if there will be a speed bump since there was just one. I would love to wait for the new Intel architecture I've been reading so much about on here but I honestly don't understand it that well to know how I would benefit.

Also I thought I read a post here stating this 2.53 is accepting 4GB RAM chips to allow a full 8GB of RAM but I can't find it anywhere! Can anyone tell me if this MBP will support 8GB!?

Anything else I should consider? Thank you all very much for your patience and advice. It is very helpful!

The 2.53 GHz MacBook Pros do not support 8GB RAM, people tried with the sticks sold for the 2.66 GHz models and nothing but crashes. Only the newer 2.66 GHz models support 8GB.

The new Intel architecture, Nehalem, won't be included in MacBook Pros until sometime after November 2009. Current MacBook Pros offer quite the punch. If you'd like, you can wait and see if WWDC offers something new.

 

[rawdawg]

jav6454, Thanks for your reply! Wow, that could be a deal breaker.

I actually just got off the phone with Apple (was that close to buying) and they claim even the 2.66 doesn't support 8Gb. I explained how according to places like this the 2.66 was offered with a 8Gb upgrade kit on Apple's website (and there even is an update claiming it could work on the 2.53 models) but still she said she talked with an engineer there and though the memory may appear to work only 4Gb will really be operating. (I also read that apple took offline that upgrade kit for the 2.66 causing me to think it was a mistake.)

I told her it's a pretty big deal breaker but she left me no indication memory would be upgraded to 8Gb on the lower models at anytime in the near future..... or satisfaction that in the future we could use 8Gb on these models... WHY!?!?

 

[alphaod]

The 2.53GHz supports up to 6GB of RAM in a 4GB+2GB configuration.

 

[clyde2801]

jav6454, Thanks for your reply! Wow, that could be a deal breaker.

I actually just got off the phone with Apple (was that close to buying) and they claim even the 2.66 doesn't support 8Gb. I explained how according to places like this the 2.66 was offered with a 8Gb upgrade kit on Apple's website (and there even is an update claiming it could work on the 2.53 models) but still she said she talked with an engineer there and though the memory may appear to work only 4Gb will really be operating. (I also read that apple took offline that upgrade kit for the 2.66 causing me to think it was a mistake.)

I told her it's a pretty big deal breaker but she left me no indication memory would be upgraded to 8Gb on the lower models at anytime in the near future..... or satisfaction that in the future we could use 8Gb on these models... WHY!?!?

Because apple wants you to buy a more expensive laptop. They're evil geniuses when it comes to up selling. That's why.

 

[rawdawg]

dang... I so need a new Mac.. I've held out an entire year already!

Do we have confirmation the 2.66 does 8Gb (as I wrote earlier it was thought to be official when apple offered it but having since taken it off their site maybe it doesn't)

The extra $500 would be worth 8Gb even versus 6Gb if it can do that.. I would guess that extra RAM could extend the life of the MBP by a year.

 

[SpitzerCR]

Because apple wants you to buy a more expensive laptop. They're evil geniuses when it comes to up selling. That's why.

And thats how they survive.......

My current MPB is probably fine. Personally I've lived with it for the last while so im waiting til after the conference to make my purchasing decisions.

 

[rawdawg]

Glad I waited!!!